Image from krampusshop.at

Several days ago I was reading about unique holiday traditions and I came across the Austrian tradition of Krampus.  After reading up about this little know event, I have become more and more intrigued.  It is a little bit Christmas and a little bit Halloween, combined together in one odd collaboration.

So why is statica.com mentioning this… because of the complexities of the costumes.  There is a raw art to the creation of these masks and costumes.  These may be scary and frightening, but they are also excellent examples of mask making.  The shop located at: http://www.krampusshop.at/ has a very unique assortment of costumes.

This world is a very interesting place and the further you dive into the depths, the more you start to realize the imaginative nature of humanity.  We are people of tradition, of history, of legend.  The artwork from one part of the world may not translate to other parts of the world, but to respect all art from across the globe is a necessity as an artist.

I may never see a Krampus costume up close, but I can live vicariously through a series of photos.  Maybe one day Memphis will have someone bold enough to purchase one of these costumes so I can see it first-hand.  Maybe.

Krampus is a mythical creature recognized in alpine countries. According to legend, Krampus accompanies St. Nicholas during the Christmas season, warning and punishing bad children, in contrast to St. Nicholas, who gives gifts to good children.

In the Alpine regions, Krampus is represented by a demon-like creature. Traditionally, young men dress up as the Krampus in Austria and southern Bavaria, especially the market town Berchtesgaden, during the first two weeks of December, particularly on the evening of 5 December, and roam the streets frightening children with rusty chains and bells.